Why We’re Eliminating Application Fees for Rental Homes in Riverside, CA

Why We’re Eliminating Application Fees for Rental Homes in Riverside, CA

Dream Big Property Management serves rental property owners and residents throughout the Inland Empire — including Moreno Valley, Corona, and the surrounding areas — where demand for rental housing eclipses the available inventory. And along with rents and security deposits, we’ve also seen a marked increase in application fees during the past couple years. Those changes are having detrimental effects on potential applicants as well as property owners. And we’re taking a step today to resolve those problems.

Starting today, Dream Big has officially eliminated application fees for our available rental homes.

That’s right — no more application fees for prospective residents applying for one of our vacant homes.

Why are we doing this?

There are a few key reasons — but it all comes down to creating a better, fairer, and more forward-thinking rental experience.

1. The legal landscape is changing — fast.
   California recently passed a law requiring property managers to refund application fees in some circumstances to applicants who are rejected, simply not selected, or who withdraw their applications for any reason — even after we have paid for their credit and background checks. While the intent of the legislation may have been to protect consumers, it actually increased application fees to make up the difference, and it also resulted in more stringent application criteria.
2. We believe in putting our Investor clients and resident customers first.
   Property management is a long-term relationship, not a short-term transaction. Higher and higher upfront application fees feels more transactional, and it creates and environment of mistrust, especially when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. We want our applicants to feel comfortable applying for one of our vacancies without wondering if they’re just throwing money away.
3. The cost of moving has ballooned — so how can we alleviate that pain?
   Renters today face higher rent prices, larger security deposits, and more out-of-pocket expenses just to move into a new home. We hear from families every week who end up applying for multiple properties — and paying $50 to $100 per adult for each one. If you’ve got two adults applying to three or four homes, that’s $400-$800 out of pocket before you can even write a rent check. It’s just too much.
4. Inventory is tight, and competition is fierce.
   With fewer available homes for rent in Riverside, Corona, and Moreno Valley, applicants are forced to compete harder — and pay more — just to have a shot. We want to level the playing field and take one more financial burden off their shoulders.

Here’s how it works

You can apply for any of our available rental homes with no upfront application fee. We’ll allow you to submit a copy of your own credit report from a major bureau, as long as it’s not too old (within the past 30 days). We’ll still run our full screening process — updated credit and background checks, and verifications of income, employment, and rental history — because our investor owners expect and deserve high-quality residents. But YOU won’t pay that screening fee to us.

To our investor clients: This is a strategic decision. We believe that when we reduce friction for qualified applicants, we lease homes faster, reduce vacancy days, and increase your profitability. It’s good business — and it’s the right thing to do.

At Dream Big Property Management, we’re not here to follow the crowd. We’re here to lead — and reimagine what property management in Southern California should look like.

If you’re a property owner in the Inland Empire looking for a forward-thinking management company that puts people first — we should talk.

And if you’re searching for a rental home in Riverside, Moreno Valley, or Corona, CA, check out our listings at https://dreambigpm.com. No application fees. No games.